The Panthers keep saying things about Cam Newton because they kind of have to, but it’s clear that they’re in a rebuild by the way they’re handling every other spot on the roster.
The latest veteran to hit the door is Jarius Wright.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Panthers aren’t picking up the option for the veteran wide receiver, making him a free agent and clearing $3 million worth of cap space.
Wright has been a solid third option for the Panthers in recent years, and was a valuable target on third downs for them.
But with Luke Kuechly and Greg Olsen gone already, a huge class of free agents about to walk into the market, and lingering uncertainty about their quarterback, almost every veteran making more than the minimum is going to be an endangered species.
New coach Matt Rhule said during his press conference at the Scouting Combine Tuesday that he was “unbelievably excited to work with Cam” but the reality is they’re kind of stuck. Newton’s not ready to pass a physical after offseason foot surgery, which limits his value to others along with a market flush with healthier alternatives.
So the easy thing at the moment is to make the best of the situation and say you’re looking forward to (re)building around a former MVP entering a contract year, who will have Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore and not much else around him.
